NASA’s Artemis II crew surpasses Apollo 13 distance record during lunar flyby
April 7, 2026: The crew of Artemis II has captured striking images during their record-setting lunar flyby, echoing the iconic “Earthrise” photograph taken by Bill Anders in 1968. According to NASA, the mission has now completed its lunar observation phase and begun its journey back to Earth after a historic milestone.
Six days into the mission, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth. This sets a new record for human spaceflight, surpassing the distance achieved by Apollo 13 by over 4,000 miles.
The mission marks NASA’s first crewed flight under the Artemis program, signalling a major step forward in deep space exploration. With its successful lunar flyby and record-breaking distance, Artemis II is being seen as a crucial milestone in paving the way for future missions to the Moon and beyond.